I know this is probably a stupid question, but what is a lucid dream exactly? Are there several levels of lucidness? I’ve heard and read different things,
so which is correct?
1) Dreams where you know you are dreaming= lucid dream
2) Dreams where you know you are dreaming + control yourself= lucid
3) Dreams where you control yourself+ surroundings= lucid
4) Dreams where you control everything (narrate story and have it play out)= lucid

Almost all of my dreams since about the age of 14 have been #2. I don’t really like 3 or 4 so I usually end up waking myself up to stop them. They take the fun out of dreaming for me. Lol!
But someone told me I couldn’t be having lucid dreams because I didn’t meditate for hours on end and something about an astral plane and a spirit guide?

So, which of these = lucid? Or are they all lucid? Or none of the above?

Thanks!